DRAWING A VOLLEY OF ABUSE

Serena fans slate ‘racist’ cartoon

A CARTOONIST has defended his sketch of tennis champ Serena Williams after it was branded racist.

Mark Knight said the “world has gone mad” following the furore over his work.

The Herald Sun newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, faced criticism for the image, described by some as a “crude stereotypical depiction” of a black woman jumping on her racket.

Her opponent, Japanese and Haitian player Naomi Osaka, was shown as a blonde woman. But Mr Knight defended his work, calling the reaction to it “crazy”.

And the editor of The Herald, Damon Johnston, said: “The cartoon is not racist or sexist… it rightly mocks poor behaviour by a tennis legend.

“Mark has the full support of everyone here.”

But Harry Potter author JK Rowling wrote on Twitter: “Well done on reducing one of the greatest sportswomen alive to racist and sexist tropes and turning a second great sportswoman into a faceless prop.”

Rapper Nicki Minaj added: “He’s getting my c ***sucker of the day award.”

Knight took aim at the 36-year-old tennis star after Williams’ angry mid-match behaviour in her US Open final defeat on Saturday.

She ranted at umpire Carlos Ramos when he accused her of being coached from the sidelines and was docked a game after smashing her racket. Dawn Neesom: Page 19